Collarwali: The Legendary Tigress Of Pench Tiger Reserve

The famous tigress Collarwali, also known as Mataram, lived in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India. Pench National Park, which also goes by the name Pench Tiger Reserve, is one of India's leading wildlife destinations because of its beautiful forest areas and effective tiger protection programs.

People became familiar with Collarwali because she lived for many years and appeared during safari tours. Her presence became known to visitors, forest workers, and tour guides who encountered her throughout the area. She earned respect for her achievements in boosting the number of tigers in the reserve.

Many tourists booking Pench tour packages hoped to see her during their safari. Her peaceful character and steady existence became a vital component of Pench National Park's heritage because she represented the park's successful conservation activities.

Death of Collarwali in Pench Tiger Reserve

Collarwali was found dead inside Pench Tiger Reserve on a Saturday evening. At the time of her death, she was 16 years old. For a wild tiger, this age is considered very old. Most tigers in the wild live only 10 to 12 years because of natural dangers, injuries, or fights with other tigers.

After her death, forest officials carefully examined the situation. They confirmed that Collarwali died due to natural causes. There were no signs of injury, poison, or human involvement. This confirmed that she lived a safe and protected life inside the forest.

In the days before her death, forest staff noticed that Collarwali had become very weak. Wildlife experts explained that this weakness was due to old age. Since she lived until 16 years, her life was considered rare and special for a wild tiger.

The last time tourists saw Collarwali was on January 14 during a jungle safari in Pench National Park. Many visitors who had booked Pench tour packages did not know that this would be one of her final sightings.

On the Sunday after her death, forest officials performed her last rites inside the reserve. They followed all wildlife rules and showed full respect. Her death was a big loss for Pench National Park, forest staff, wildlife lovers, photographers, and tourists.

Birth and Early Life of Collarwali

Collarwali was born in September 2005 inside Pench Tiger Reserve. She was one of four cubs born to a tigress named T-7. Her mother was already known among forest officials for her strong presence in the forest.

After birth, Collarwali grew up in the natural forest environment of Pench National Park. Like other tiger cubs, she learned hunting and survival skills from her mother. As she grew older, forest officials started observing her behavior and movement closely.

The forest department gave her the official identification number T15. In March 2008, she was fitted with a radio collar to track her movement. This helped forest officials understand how she used different areas of the forest and helped in better tiger protection.

Later, the radio collar stopped working. Because of this, another radio collar was fitted on her in January 2010. This helped continue the tracking work.

Since she wore a radio collar for a long time, forest staff and safari guides started calling her Collarwali. This name became more popular than her official number. Over the years, Collarwali became a well-known name in Pench National Park and an important part of its conservation story.

Record of 29 Cubs in 11 Years

The biggest contribution of Collarwali was through her cubs. Between 2008 and 2018, she gave birth to a total of 29 cubs. These cubs were born in eight different litters over a period of 11 years.

Her first litter was born in May 2008 and had three cubs. Sadly, these cubs did not survive due to natural reasons, which is common in the wild. In October 2010, she gave birth to another litter with five cubs.

Over the years, Collarwali continued to give birth and successfully raise her cubs inside Pench National Park. She was very good at protecting her cubs and finding food for them. Because of this, many of her cubs survived and grew into healthy adult tigers.

Her last litter was born in December 2018 and had four cubs. Out of the total 29 cubs, 25 survived. This survival rate is very rare in the wild, where many cubs die due to illness, lack of food, or attacks by other animals.

Many of her surviving cubs later moved to nearby forest areas. Safari guides often shared her story with tourists during jungle safaris.

Importance for Tourism and Photography

Collarwali played an important role in tourism at Pench National Park. She was often seen during jungle safaris, which made tourists very happy. Many visitors felt lucky if they saw her during their trip.

Because of her regular sightings, wildlife photographers got many chances to take clear photos of her. Photographers from India and other countries visited Pench National Park mainly to capture her pictures.

Many wildlife experts believe that Collarwali was one of the most photographed tigers in the world. Her photos appeared in wildlife magazines, books, documentaries, and online platforms.

Her popularity increased interest in jungle safaris. As a result, the demand for Pench tour packages grew. Local safari guides, drivers, hotels, and tourism workers benefited from this growth. Collarwali helped show how wildlife conservation can support local jobs.

Tiger Population and Other Recent Tiger Deaths

Collarwali was the second tiger to die in Madhya Pradesh in the same year. At Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, an 11-month-old tiger cub was also discovered, which had died before this incident. The forest officials believed that another tiger had fought the cub, which resulted in its death.

The All-India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 states that Madhya Pradesh has the largest tiger population in India, which consists of 526 tigers. The long-term conservation efforts achieved success according to this result. The Pench Tiger Reserve contains approximately 53 tigers, which inhabit its core area.

The area around Pench National Park contains approximately 80 tigers, which inhabit its nearby forest regions. The majority of these tigers trace their ancestry back to Collarwali. Her surviving cubs continue to represent her contribution during her lifetime. The Pench National Park tiger population includes these tigers, and serves as a vital components that sustain the forest ecosystem’s balance